House

Monday, July 6, 2009

Patio

My next personal goal was to make the patio more like a area that people could hangout and just relax. The patio area was small so I decided to use the carport for a patio area which gives the patio more area and a cover from the sun and rain.

All the concrete areas needed to be cleaned badly. I pressure washed all the concrete front and back

Front area being cleaned

Front Porch Cleaned

Patio

Back Patio Area Being Cleaned. You Can Guess The Dirty and Clean Area

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I recently went and bought new patio furniture. I bought a swing that you can lay the back part down and lay down on it. Also I got a small table with 4 chairs.

Small Table and Chairs

Swing

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I started to work on the fire pit. I'm not sure what to do with the top part or if I want to go back and put mortar on the bricks to make then not move at all. I might just so a small child runs into it.

Before

Beginning of making the firepit

First two rows put up

Third row going up

First Design up

The patio is pretty square and I wasn't as fond as the rectangle shape so I moved the bricks around and made it more square. I think it looks better.

New Design

Now trying to decide on a top part

Changed the Firepit layout to a round circle and not a square

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I wanted to add some lighting but I wasn't sure how so I decided on rope lighting and I got about 48 ft of rope lighting at Lowes and it puts on more light then I thought. I do have about 3-4 ft extra at the end near the street side so I'm not sure what to do with it. I might undo the lighting on the front part (where you are looking at it), and make a up and down like a wave pattern. Not sure yet.

The new rope lighting (lights aren't that bright)

The new rope lighting

The new rope lighting (lights aren't that bright)

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Before

After (as to date June 09)

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I just got done doing some things to he patio and here are a couple of changes.

Changed the Firepit layout to a round circle and not a square

Patio Looking out to street

Patio now looking in from street (recently add the new flower planter on right corner)

Thursday, June 11, 2009

New Flower Bed (Patio)

To help make the patio area look a little better, I decided to dig up a certain area between the shed & patio and the fence to the back yard. It was just grass and weeds and nothing special or pleasing to the eye. I wanted to make it a little better.

I went to Home Depot and got a couple of 10 ft long pressure treated 2x4s, Their wasn't a lot of room between the patio and fence so I was limited on materials I could use and 2x4s was the best thing. I go pressure treated because it last 3-4 times longer and it helps fight against insects and bugs from getting to it. Then I cut some pieces and cut the ends to a point to make home made stacks. I screwed it all together and then hammered the stacks into the ground. It gives me about 4 inch off the ground and then when I put plants in they can go down as far as they need. I put down some weed sheet to keep weeds away from growing in the area. I haven't planted any plants yet, I'm not 100% which plants I want their. I might put some roses at the end between the shed and fence and then put some things like lilly's in the middle and maybe some small plants like pansies (or kinds that come back every year) but that type of look.

Before

Before

Just got done digging up weeds and grass and tilling the area and putting down the new 2x4s

The end of the flower bed between patio and fence

Frame of the bed is togerher but not hammer down yet.

Ground tilled up

The area between the fence and shed has a lot more room then the patio and fence at the other end. This is where I was thinking about putting roses.

The frame work hammered down now

Adding the weed protection sheet

Weed protection sheet down and in place

The finish flower bed frame

The finish flower bed frame and now ready for mulch and plants

Finished with flowers and mulch

Before/After

I just finished the 1st of at least maybe 3. I kind of have a couple of other ideas to but the first 3 is the main ones.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Newest Change/Upgrade to Patio/Backyard

I recently have been testing a new look. Their was this fence trellis that I had to take off to paint and after painting was done I still wanted to use, but I wasn't sold at where it was. I changed the spot and I think it looks better. Right now it is still temporary, but is up enough to give me the look so I can know for sure.

Before (straight on)